Snowe Says Senate Should Not Follow House Lead On Healthcare Bill

BANGOR (NEWS CENTER) -- Senator Olympia Snowe was in Bangor Friday touring the Penobscot Community Health Center.  The senator talked with doctors, nurses and patients about what happens at the center.

She did not spend a lot of time talking about the healthcare reform bill that the house recently passed and that the senate will take up for debate after its recess.

Afterward, though, the senator told NEWS CENTER that senators, and the public, should have the opportunity to look at the bill that comes before the senate before there's a vote.

She added that no one should set a deadline on when that vote should be held. She is upset with the way it went through the house.

"We're concerned about the fact that it was sort of rushed through," the Republican senator said.  "There weren't that many hours of debate given to a very complex piece of legislation, it really entails almost 2000 pages and only two amendments. That certainly is inconsistent with the magnitude of the issue."

Sen. Snowe said she does not agree with the House's bill, saying it inappropriately taxes individuals and small businesses during a difficult economy.

"We certainly don't want to follow the direction of what happened in the House of Representatives and a $1.2 trillion package and imposing taxes on individuals and small businesses," she said. "This is not a good time to be imposing taxes on the American people in this very difficult economy."